A Computer Containing 1,800 Intimate Patient Photos Disappeared. A Failure That Could Have Been Prevented.

What Happened

In May 2025, the University Hospital in Prague admitted that it had lost a computer containing over 1,800 medical photographs of patients.
The material included highly sensitive and intimate data that should never have left the hospital’s secure environment.
The loss of such data represents a serious breach of privacy and a significant reputational risk for the institution.

Unfortunately, incidents like this are not isolated cases. Similar breaches have occurred in healthcare institutions around the world, revealing the same underlying issue — a lack of systematic security management and preventive measures in data protection practices.

Weaknesses Identified

1. Lack of Oversight and Asset Inventory
The device containing sensitive data was not included in any centralized monitoring or asset inventory system.
Its disappearance went unnoticed, leaving hospital management uncertain about its location and use.
In a healthcare environment handling highly personal medical data, this level of oversight is not optional — it’s essential.

2. Insufficient Data Protection
It remains unclear whether the data on the computer was encrypted.
If not, anyone in possession of the device would have immediate access to all files.
This represents a violation of basic information security principles — full disk encryption and multi-factor authentication (MFA) must be mandatory in all healthcare systems.

3. No Incident Response Plan
The hospital had no predefined procedure for responding to the loss of sensitive data.
Communication with patients and the public was inconsistent and reactive, further worsening the reputational impact.
In crisis situations, the real damage often comes not from the incident itself — but from how it’s handled.

4. Failure to Learn from Past Incidents
Despite numerous global warnings — including ransomware attacks that have paralyzed hospitals in recent years — systemic improvements remain inconsistent.
Security continues to be treated as secondary.
This is a short-sighted approach: the cost of lost trust and potential legal consequences is always higher than the cost of prevention.

How It Could Have Been Prevented 

• AI Monitoring Center 24/7
  Continuous monitoring would have detected the device’s disconnection or disappearance immediately, triggering an automated response within 30 seconds.
• Implementation of Security Measures
  Mandatory disk encryption, centralized device management, and clearly defined data-handling procedures should be standard practice across all healthcare institutions.
• Security Training
  Personnel must understand how to handle sensitive data, how to react to the loss of a device, and how to act during crisis scenarios.
  Practical, scenario-based training is key to maintaining real security awareness.

Lessons for Every Organization

This incident is not just a one-time mistake — it’s a clear example of what happens when prevention exists only on paper.
A data breach is never only a technical problem; it’s a reputational, legal, and trust issue.
Trust from patients, customers, or employees can be lost in minutes — and take years to rebuild.

Prevention is always cheaper than remediation.
The key lies in systematically aligning people, processes, and technology.